NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Awards

The Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program (MRI Program Website) serves to increase access to multi-user scientific and engineering instrumentation for research and research training in our Nation’s institutions of higher education and not-for-profit scientific/engineering research organizations. An MRI award supports the acquisition of a multi-user research instrument that is commercially available through direct purchase from a vendor, or for the personnel costs and equipment that are required for the development of an instrument with new capabilities, thereby advancing instrumentation capabilities and enhancing expertise for instrument design and fabrication at academic institutions. MRI instruments are, in general, too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NSF programs.

UMBC Faculty have received a total of 13 MRI awards totaling over $3.75M since 2006.

MRI: Acquisition of a High-Speed Digital Image Correlation System for Research and Education
PI: Weidong Zhu; Co-PIs: Kathleen Hoffman, Meilin Yu;
NSF Organization: CMMI; Award Date: 08/05/2021;
Award Amount: $283,796

MRI: Acquisition of a Heterogeneous GPU Cluster to Facilitate Deep Learning Research at UMBC
PI: Hamed Pirsiavash; Co-PIs: Naghmeh Karimi, Cynthia Matuszek, Damian Doyle, Francis Ferraro;
NSF Organization: CNS; Award Date: 09/17/2019;
Award Amount: $300,000

MRI: Acquisition of Cutting-Edge GPU and Phi Nodes for the Interdisciplinary UMBC High Performance Computing Facility
PI: Matthias Gobbert, Meilin Yu (Former); Co-PIs: Marc Olano, Daniel Lobo, Jianwu Wang, Meilin Yu;
NSF Organization: OAC; Award Date: 09/01/2017;
Award Amount: $552,353

MRI: Acquisition of π², a CAVE2-Inspired Display for Discovery Science, Creativity, and Education
PI: Don Engel, Jian Chen (Former); Co-PIs: Craig Saper, Karl Steiner, Penny Rheingans, Michael Summers;
NSF Organization: CNS; Award Date: 8/26/2015;
Award Amount: $360,000

MRI: Acquisition of a 3D object and motion capture system
PI: Marc Olano; Co-PIs: Shaun Kane, Amy Hurst, Daniel Bailey, Erle Ellis;
NSF Organization: CNS; Award Date: 09/01/2014;
Award Amount: $175,195

MRI: Acquisition of a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope to Support Research and Education at UMBC
PI: Laszlo Takacs; Co-PIs: Theodosia Gougousi, Marie Christine Daniel, Marc Zupan, Dwayne Arola;
NSF Organization: DMR; Award Date: 09/01/2013;
Award Amount: $500,000

MRI: Acquisition of Hybrid CPU/GPU Nodes for the Interdisciplinary UMBC High Performance Computing Facility
PI: Matthias Gobbert; Co-PIs: Marc Olano, Lynn Sparling, Ivan Erill, Ian Thorpe;
NSF Organization: CNS; Award Date: 09/01/2012;
Award Amount: $300,000

MRI: Acquisition of a Three-Dimensional Scanning Laser Vibrometer System for Research and Education
PI: Weidong Zhu; Co-PIs: J. Vanderlei Martins, Panos Charalambides;
NSF Organization: CMMI; Award Date: 09/01/2012;
Award Amount: $410,444

MRI: Acquisition of Liquid Water Isotope Analyzer Capability for Advancing Hydrologic Research in the Baltimore Ecosystem Study LTER
PI: Claire Welty; Co-PIs: Sujay Kaushal, Katalin Szlavecz, Lawrence Band, Peter Groffman;
NSF Organization: EAR; Award Date: 10/01/2010;
Award Amount: $105,511

MRI: Acquisition of a MicroCT System for Collaborative Research at UMBC
PI: Liang Zhu; Co-Pis: Upal Ghosh, Dwayne Arola, Jennie Leach, L.D. Timmie Topoleski;
NSF Organization: CBET; Award Date: 09/01/2008;
Award Amount: $384,001

MRI: Acquisition of an Interdisciplinary Facility for High-Performance Computing
PI: Matthias Gobbert; Co-PIs: Marc Olano, Lynn Sparling, Marie desJardins, Penny Rheingans;
NSF Organization: CNS; Award Date: 08/15/2008;
Award Amount: $200,000

MRI: Acquisition of Equipment to Establish a Research Infrastructure to Support HCI and UA Research
PI: Andrew Sears; Co-PIs: Asim Ozok, Anita Komlodi, Anthony Norcio;
NSF Organization: CNS; Award Date: 06/19/2006;
Award Amount: $180,000